Carriage for removing articles from a galvanizing bath



Nov. 30, 1954 A. J. B. FAIRBURN CARRIAGE FOR REMOVING ARTICLES FROM A GALVANIZING BATH Filed May 25, 1952 FIEJZ 29 Z0 United States Patent CARRIAGE FOR REMOVING ARTICLES FROM A GALVANIZING BATH A. John B. Fairbum, Lorain, Ohio, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 23, 1952, Serial No. 289,701 7 Claims. (Cl. 118-500) This invention relates to improvements in magnetic carriages used for removing elongated articles, such as pipes, from a galvanizing bath.

An object of the invention is to provide in such carriages means for preventing formation of solid zinc slugs on the article surface, known in the art as silver dollars.

A further object is to equip such carriages with heaters which prevent localized cooling of articles carried thereby and thus enable a galvanized coating on the article to solidify uniformly.

A further object is to provide improved heaters which are protected from damage from freshly galvanized articles resting thereon and yet effectively transfer seat to such articles.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, preferred forms of which are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a galvanizing apparatus which has a magnetic carriage equipped with a heater in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carriage and heater;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the heater;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views similar to Figure 4, but showing modifications; and

Figure 7 is an elevational view with parts broken away showing a further modification.

Figure 1 shows a galvanizing apparatus which includes a carriage 10 and a trolley 12 supporting said carriage and riding on an inclined track 13. Cables 14 are connected to said trolley and to winches for moving the carriage up the track and for controlling its down ward movement. The carriage contains electromagnets, the poles of which are located in a rearwardly and downwardly directed face 15 thereof. A bottom guide plate 16 and a pair of side guide plates 17 extend rearwardly from this face. The carriage is adapted to be lowered into a galvanizing bath and to pick up a plurality of freshly galvanized elongated articles P and thus remove them from the bath. The ends of the articles are held aganist the face 15 of the carriage by magnetic attraction and are confined Within the space bounded by the guide plates 16 and 17. The bottom guide plate 16 contains drainage holes 18 for molten zinc which drips from the articles. Inasmuch as such equipment is known and by itself not a part of the present invention, no more detailed showing is deemed necessary.

In accordance with the present invention, the upper face of the bottom guide plate 16 carries an electric heater 19 which extends between the two side guide plates 17. Figures 3 and 4 show in detail one preferred construction of heater. A liquid-tight steel cover 20 is welded to the bottom and side guide plates. Within said cover there is an elongated electric heating element 21 and a spring 22 which holds said heating element in direct contact with the underside of the cover. One of the side guide plates 17 contains an access opening 23 and its outer face carries an annular boss 24 surrounding said opening. Both the heating element 21 and spring 22 extend into said boss. A pipe cap 25 closes the end of the boss. A conduit 26 extends from one side of the boss and contains electric leads 27 for energizing the heating element.

Figure 5 shows a modified heater construction which differs from that just described in that the upper face of its covers 20a is rounded to reduce the area of contact with articles P. Figure 6 shows another modified heater construction in which the cover has a plurality of copper inserts 28 that facilitate heat transfer. Figure 7 shows still another modified heater construction in which the upper face of the cover has a plurality of grooves 29 that promote drainage of molten zinc. It is apparent also that any two or all three of these modified constructions can be used together.

In the absence of a heater such as the present invention affords, the end portions of the lower tier of articles P rest directly on the bottom guide plate 16, which is relatively cold. The guide plate thus chills the portions of the articles resting thereon and causes the zinc coating to solidify nonuniformly and form objectionable slugs on the article surface. When the articles are pipes, these slugs appear on both the inside and outside but can be removed only from the outside. According to the present invention, the end portions of the lower tier of articles rest on the heater 19, which maintains their temperature and thus prevents slug formation.

From the foregoing description it is seen that the present invention affords a simple device which has no moving parts and readily can be installed on existing equipment and yet prevents slug formation on galvanized ar ticles. In the example of pipe, the device produces an improved product by altogether eliminating the slugs, as well as simplifying manufacture by overcoming the need for removing such slugs from the outside.

While two embodiments of my invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a carriage for removing elongated articles from a galvanizing bath, said carriage including magnetic means adapted to hold the articles and bottom and side guide plates extending beyond said magnetic means for receiving the articles, the combination with said bottom guide plate of a member carried above the upper face thereof to support the end portions of articles received within the space bounded by said guide plates, and means to heat said member to avoid cooling the coating on the articles.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the means to heat said member includes an electric heating element, and said member forms a liquid-tight cover enclosing said heating element.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which one of said side guide the interior of the cover and carries conduit means for conductors that energize said heating element.

4. A combination as defined in claim 2 including spring means located between said heating element and said ottom guide plate urging said heating element into contact with the under face of said member.

5; A combination as defined in claim 2 in which said member has a rounded upper surface to reduce the area of contact with the articles.

6. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which said member contains copper inserts to facilitate heat transfer.

7. combination as defined in claim 2 in which the upper face of said member has grooves that promote drainage of molten coating metal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number plates has an access opening to' 

